Red lentils and yellow lentils

Actually a bright orange in colour, red lentils – also known as red split lentils, Egyptian lentils or masoor dhal – cook in 20–30 minutes, eventually disintegrating into a yellowish purée. This quality makes them ideal for thickening soups, stews and casseroles, and, when cooked with spices, they make a delicious Indian dhal. The less well-known yellow lentils taste very similar to the red variety, and are used in much the same way. In the Middle East, red or yellow lentils are cooked and mixed with spices and vegetables to form balls known as kofte.